


A New Dawn, A New Day

by BiblioPan



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Banter, Canon Queer Characters, Epic Friendship, Episode: s07e09 Strictly Business, First Job, Friendship is a Journey, Gen, Humor, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:01:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29390940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BiblioPan/pseuds/BiblioPan
Summary: Mandy Greenhorn, former step-daughter of Wendy, gets her first job working at Rose Apothecary over the summer. She learns about customer service and more than she ever imagined!
Relationships: Mandy (schitt's creek) & Stevie Budd, Patrick Brewer & Stevie Budd & David Rose, Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 26
Kudos: 56
Collections: Schitt's Creek Season 7





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [SCSeason7](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/SCSeason7) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> For 709, I want to see Mandy (now... 15? 16? who knows, time is fake) start working at RA for the summer.
> 
> Thank you prompt creator and I hope you enjoy this! THANK YOU to my betas EggplantSalad and NeelyO. The breaks in the paragraphs are historical symbols for the elements (air, water) for Mandy's scientific interests.

Adults spent their entire lives figuring out how to control others, especially children. This had to be a scientific law written down somewhere and Mandy hadn’t reached that chapter yet in one of her schoolbooks. Why else would her parents spend their little free time on the phone berating her about getting a job?

“Mandy, I know this isn’t Toronto, but you can find a job. Your dad and I may not agree on much, but we do about the value of work. If you can find time to spend money at the mall then you can find time to work. We gave you the easy options of a job filing at my firm or hosting at his steakhouse, but you turned your nose up at those. So you have til the end of the school year to work it out. Is that clear, young lady?”

Mandy officially hated technology. Threeway FaceTiming gave her nowhere to hide her dismayed expression, nail biting, or tears. “Yes, it’s clear. I will get a job by the end of school.”

Her dad kept his face neutral, as he did in all business conversations, but his words were gentle. “Kiddo, your mom and I just want you to learn some skills for adulthood before you leave home. We know you’re great at school and smart as a whip, but it’s time for you to learn some real world skills. Now, I know your mom travels with her firm, so we’ll work something out for transportation. You get that driver’s license test taken care of like we talked about?”

Of course he’d forgotten how excited she was when she passed the test. Now that Wendy had come and gone in their family, no one took her out to celebrate victories like passing a driving test on the third try. “Yes, Dad, I passed the test, but Mom said that another car wasn’t in our budget and her car was too fancy for a new driver.”

“Okay, Mandy, don’t twist my words. I said it wouldn’t be safe for you to drive a stick yet. Your dad and I will chat about some options soon. How about you see what you find and we can go from there? Maybe it’s close enough for you to ride your bike anyway.”

“Oh come on, Sandy, we’re not going to make the kid ride a bike to her job. Be reasonable.”

“Oh, me be reasonable? Is wife number four still helping you work on being reasonable, Gerald?”

“Okay, well, I’m going to go do homework now. Bye.” Mandy hung up before she was subjected to another fight. Didn’t they get divorced so they could stop fighting? Adults were exhausting and impossible to please. 

She fell back on her bed and lay still for several moments, enjoying the silence. She rolled onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows, venting her dismay in a group text to her friends.

_ ‘Guess I won’t be free for a while. Parents want me to get a job this summer. Any ideas about where to apply?’ _

Paris and Kennedy hated doing homework so at least she should get a speedy reply from them both. 

_ ‘Ew. A JOB?!?!?! That’s so gross and annoying.’  _ Kennedy Chambers - quick to hate work and love a strong opinion, but dismiss ones from adults (except Gwyneth and Zendaya’s). 

_ ‘Are you poor now? My mom says it’s basically child abuse to make anyone under 18 work.’  _ Paris Strombly - supportive, sheltered, and always deferential to Kennedy.

_ ‘Yeah, it sucks. Let me know if either of you hear about something not awful.’  _

Mandy shoved the phone in her pocket and padded off to the kitchen, knowing she always felt better after eating green curry with tofu. Besides, cooking in the wok made her feel powerful and sophisticated—something Paris and Kennedy, who had grown up with plenty of money but no responsibilities, wouldn’t understand.

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_ Rose Apothecary Assistant: Professional individual open to training and supervision in a curated environment. Minimum wage and flexible part-time hours (10-20 per week) possibly building to more. Reply via email (including resume) to this ad for further inquiry. _

Mandy paused, read the ad again and hoped the description would become clearer. It didn’t but at least it didn’t claim it would “make you millions in just a few weeks” or ask her to send in photos first. The name called to her in a way she wasn’t ready to discuss with anyone yet. She checked the definition to be sure and found an apothecary was “a dispensary of medicines or treatments; a person who provides these.” 

She hadn’t told her friends or family about the AP Chemistry class she’d be taking in the fall. Or the Environmental Chemistry programs she’d been eying for university. (Her parents never shut up about their businessy jobs, how lucky she was they had them, and how if she kept up her grades she could get a good job too. Insert eyeroll.) A job in the sciences could make her application stand out. She sent in her resume before she could talk herself out of it and decided she’d figure out getting to wherever it was if she actually heard back.

  
  


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_ Hello Mandy, _

_ After reviewing your resume, we would like to have you come in for an interview. Please select one of the following days and times if you are still interested in the position.  _

_ Thank you for your interest and have a good day! _

_ Regards, _

_ David and Patrick Rose-Brewer _

Mandy straightened her back and planted her feet on the floor, shocked at the speed of the reply. She’d put the job out of her head when she sent in her resume yesterday, assuming they’d want someone more experienced or older. 

Guess she’d be doing that company research now. Their website came up as the top search result and she groaned when she looked through their photos and description. This looked like the kind of place her mother would spend an afternoon chatting with her girlfriends, full of fancy shit that people loved to brag about paying more for while there were perfectly good versions for half the price at Brebner’s. So much for science.

She read over the Bio page for shits and giggles and sucked in a breath at the photo. Oh!  _ That _ David Rose. She bit her lip, wondering if she could face him after getting her first period all over his expensive bedsheets all those years ago. 

The facts were as follows, however:

  1. It was May and school would be done before she knew it.
  2. She needed the money.
  3. She could absolutely do this job.
  4. She could not be in this house a minute more than necessary.



Mandy texted her bff Dakota to see when she could drop her off in Schitt’s Creek and selected that time from the email options. 

She cleaned her plate, loaded the dishwasher, and went back to her room for intensive research.

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“Okay, so meet me in the café whenever you’re done? I’m gonna study for this English final, or at least try to make it look like I am, while I scroll in peace for a while.” Dakota pawed through a tottering stack of textbooks in search of her pen, finally finding it behind one ear. “Good luck, Mandible. Knock ‘em dead.”

Mandy rolled her eyes but gave Dakota a shy smile as she reached for the door handle. “I’ll do my best, Dakatoe. Enjoy your sibling-free afternoon.” 

Mandy thanked her lucky stars that she and Dakota reconnected in high school via Mx. Shockley’s homeroom. Unlike the rest of her friends, Dakota responded to texts and cared about things besides boys and clothes. It didn’t hurt that she also had access to a vehicle and the constant desire to get away from her three younger siblings. 

Mandy smoothed her blazer and tugged her collared white shirt into place, rehearsing her answers to all of the ‘most common interview questions’ according to Google. She rolled back her shoulders and slowed her breathing as she pulled open the door, reminding herself to push up her chin and meet the eyes of whomever was working.

A man with short auburn hair (whom she recognized from the website as being the co-owner) was standing behind the register, talking to a woman with dark hair and a serious expression. He glanced at the door and smiled widely, then strode towards Mandy with his hand out. “Mandy Greenhorn? Patrick Rose-Brewer.”

She nodded and cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m Mandy. Nice to meet you, Mr. Rose-Brewer.” She shook his hand firmly and prayed that her hands remained dry.

He chuckled and led her through a curtain to a small table in the storeroom. “Oh, that’s not necessary. Appreciate the respect but we’re pretty casual here, so first names are fine. I’m Patrick and this is David.” David perched on the edge of a wooden chair, his right index finger gliding down her resume while the fingers on his left hand fluttered on the table. He paused as Patrick placed a hand on his shoulder, sat back in the chair, and gave Mandy a small nod. 

Patrick smiled wider as he smoothed David’s sweater at the shoulders. “Please, have a seat, Mandy. Can I get you some water?”

Mandy shook her head as she sat and pinched the spot between her eyebrows. “No, sir, I mean, no, I’m fine thanks. Sorry, sorry. I’m not sure if I should tell you guys but this is my first interview and I’m kinda nervous.” She rubbed her hands on her pinstriped pants and looked back and forth between both men, certain they’d tell her they needed a more ‘professional individual.’

“Well, you arrived on time and clearly understand professional dress so you’re ahead of David some days.” Patrick smirked at his husband.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Patrick. You think mountaineering shoes are appropriate work attire and also I own this place, so I’ll do what I please.” 

David turned to her, his chocolate brown eyes peering deeply into her own and a softening expression spreading across his face. He spoke softly but clearly and she wondered if everyone got this kind of special treatment from the most beautiful human on earth. “Mandy, thank you so much for coming in today. First, allow me to disclose that I recently learned that I did not have my first job until several years ago. So, getting a job as a youth puts you ahead of the curve as far as I’m concerned. Besides, if you’ve never worked anywhere else then that means you’re moldable. We value that here at Rose Apothecary.”

David stood and squeezed Patrick’s shoulders. “I’m going to let this guy ask some more businessy questions and then you and I are going to set up a display together. I have full confidence in you. Okay, I’m going to go make sure Stevie hasn’t stolen any wine.” 

Patrick grimaced and rubbed his hand across his face. “Please ignore that. David’s not used to outside people being back here and Stevie is our friend who will absolutely not be stealing wine in any way. Now, why would you like to work for our store?”

Mandy grinned, remembering how David bitched about Stevie (yet clearly loved her) the night Wendy made her come to the hotel. She launched into her practiced answers, reminding herself to speak slowly and breathe, her confidence growing with each nod of Patrick’s head.

After all the questions were over, Patrick led her to a small table near the wall of products and nodded at David. “Mandy might be more professional than both of us put together. She’s absolutely ready for the aesthetics portion.” He winked at her before heading to the register and Mandy bit her lip to hide a smile. 

“Yes, yes, we all appreciate how charming and effusive you are, Patrick, now scoot along.” David’s hands flourished in half circles in his husband’s wake, as if shaking Patrick’s presence from their artistic space. He turned to the table and leaned back, narrowing his eyes. “Mmm, mmhmm, yes. Okay, so I’m going to give you a diagram of a display and a box of products. I’d like you to arrange the display according to these specifications without any prompting from either Patrick or myself. If you are unsure of what to do, just take your best guess based on your artistic instincts. Come and get me when you’re done. If this goes well then you’ll move to the last portion of the interview, during which you’ll demonstrate your customer service skills to either one of us. Ready?”

“Yes.” Mandy returned David’s stern look, partly eager to prove herself and mainly to just be done with this damn thing. 

“Excellent. I’ll leave you to it.” David spun on his heel and strode to the counter, chatting with Patrick and turned away from her. 

She picked up the instructions and allowed herself a moment to take them in, eyes scanning from one side of the page to the other. She placed the paper on the table and carefully removed each item from the box, cautious in case any were breakable. David seemed like the kind to enjoy testing people but also the kind to appreciate when someone took their time with a task. He didn’t appear to remember her from their previous encounter and she was determined to keep it that way.

Mandy stacked the containers of cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and serum according to the design, taking her time, stilling her trembling hands through deep breaths and taking occasional breaks to refer to the diagram. She edged the final bottle in place and stepped back, needing a macro view before she alerted David. She glanced back and forth from the picture to the display, gave a small nod to herself, and made her way to the register. 

She waited at the counter, not wanting to interrupt David. “Yes, I know we need to see how the jams sell before we order more, but these flavors are completely different. Just last week Heather mentioned looking for a decent tomato jam to pair with her new brie.” 

Patrick took pity on Mandy’s predicament and held up his hands in defeat. “Fine, David, I stand corrected. If you recall, we do have an interview in process. Mandy, you ready?” 

“Yes, I’m ready, please.” She walked behind David and lingered at the display table. God, she hoped it wouldn’t be like this every day if she got this damn job.

“Yes, this will do nicely. Patrick informed me that asking you to create a display based on a mood board would be inappropriate for an interview, but if you ever think you’re up to that challenge, please let me know.”

“Alright, David, let’s not scare off our only interviewee today. Mandy, who would you like as your customer?”

Mandy barely let Patrick finish his question before responding, “Patrick, please.” So close. She was so very close to being done without embarrassing herself. 

“Fine. Patrick, see if she’s Rose Apothecary material. I’m going to the café for recaffination.” David threw open the door and marched across the street.

“Is he, I don’t know, mad that I didn’t choose him?” Mandy chewed her lip, cursing herself for wasting her whole day.

“Maybe, but that has nothing to do with you. He’ll get over it. Besides, the main reason he’s mad is you’re doing well and he wanted to see if he could get you to blow your cool during this portion. But that’s no concern of yours and I’m sure you have other fun teenager stuff to do with the rest of your day, so let’s get this done.”

“Sounds good, Mr., uh, Patrick. Where do we start?”

Mandy soothed a frustrated husband looking for a last-minute anniversary present (bottle of wine, flowers, and candle), assisted a traveler on their way to their granny’s for vacation (cat hair scarf), and guided a blind customer around corners to sample cologne (Enchanted Forest narrowly won). “So, can I find out today if I got the job or do you need to talk with David about it?” She interlaced her fingers in front of her belly to keep herself from fidgeting.

Patrick smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets, leaning against the counter. “Oh, you’ve got the job. I knew you’d be just fine after the questions in the back and David wanting to grill you as a customer means he approved of your display abilities. You still want the job after all this?” 

“Yeah, definitely. Can I have a set schedule? I know it’s for the summer and all but I don’t have my own car yet and my mom is gonna want details before I ask.”

“Sure, sure. Let’s start with Saturdays from 9-5 till school is out. We can see where your availability is when that gets closer. And hey, if you have any friends who are interested, I hear Twyla’s looking for help at the café too.”

“Okay, I’ll make sure to tell them. I can make Saturdays work. What time should I get here? What do I wear? Do I need to fill out paperwork first?” 

Patrick held up his hands and grinned. “Whoa there, don’t worry. I’ll email you the paperwork and instructions from our store email, so make sure and keep an eye on your junk mail tomorrow in case it ends up there. Feel free to call or email with any questions. Let’s say a week from Saturday for your first day to give you time to line up transportation, alright?” 

“Yeah, that sounds perfect. Thanks so much, Patrick. I really appreciate it and, um, did David say anything to you earlier about knowing me? From before today?”

Patrick raised his eyebrows and squinted in confusion, “I don’t think so. How would David have known you before?”

“Nevermind, it’s fine, don’t worry about it. Okay, I’m going to go get my friend so I can go home now. I’ll look for the email and see you next Saturday. Thank you.” She scooted out the door and ordered her feet to slow from a trot to a stroll, certain Patrick would be watching from the window. She allowed herself a small twirl next to the cafe mural, still not quite believing she’d nailed it. Her first JOB! 

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Mandy slid into the booth opposite Dakota and tapped the tabletop next to her friend’s phone. 

“Wha? Oh, hey girl. How’d it go?” Dakota pulled out the earbuds, locked the phone screen, and dropped the phone in her pocket. 

Mandy reached for a fry and popped it in her mouth. “No biggie, just got my first job. Get much studying done?”

“Oh no, no, no. You are not pulling that mess on  _ me _ . That took forever! How could an interview to work in a tiny store take so long?”

Mandy gave a one-shoulder shrug and sighed. “Oh, well, David has pretty specific ideas for how things should look in the store and they both are super particular about working with customers. It’s fine though. I think they just really care about their business and want to make sure whoever they hire cares about it too. I’d feel the same way if it was my store. The important thing is that I have a job now, which means that I can make my own money and get Mom and Dad off my back. You thinking about getting a job too? I know you want out of the house as much as possible.”

“Yeah, I mean I want one but I’m not sure my parents would go without their free babysitter long enough for me to have hours to work anywhere. Hey, how are you going to get to this job on the regular?” Dakota frowned and pounded ketchup out of the bottle with slightly more force than necessary. 

“Um, about that. I was wondering if I could buy that junker that your uncle keeps in the shed? I know he doesn’t visit from New York very often and I only need to go a short distance. I could get my dad to buy it and put me on his insurance. He really wants me to work and Mom does too, but neither of them are good at figuring out stuff like this. I don’t remember the last time your uncle visited but if he did I’m sure we could work something out.” 

“Damn, Mandy, when did you come up with this plan? Nevermind, it doesn’t matter. Yeah, I’ll talk with my folks about it. I think they miss the garage space anyway and my brothers need new sports equipment now that they’re on traveling teams. Let me slip it into dinner conversation tonight and I’ll text you after. You got any idea how much he’d pay?”

Mandy snorted. “God, my dad thinks he’s this like business genius because of starting a construction company and then selling it to PCL Construction. Don’t get me wrong, I know I’m lucky he takes care of me and paid for Mom’s school, but jeez, he’s not Bill Gates. He’ll probably talk to his dumb business friends to find out what he can get away with paying. I’ll say your parents want like $500 more than that and won’t budge. He’ll get bored and pay. I did the same thing when I found my computer and piano.”

Dakota sat back in the booth, chewing and appraising her friend. “When did you figure all of this out? I don’t remember you working over your parents like this the last time we hung out. God, when was the last time we hung out?”

Mandy matched Dakota’s quizzical look, thinking through the last several months and putting together the embarrassing facts of their now subdued friendship. “Hmm, I know we had that massive study session for French in December. I’ve been hanging out with Kennedy and Paris and you always have to babysit. I’m, um, I’m sorry if you feel left out. I know they aren’t your favorite anyway.”

“Look, I don’t get a lot of time to myself. Between keeping up my GPA, clubs, and watching those little monsters, I’m lucky if I get one day out a month. I’m not going to spend it at the mall or with people who make me feel dumb and poor. I love you, Mandy, but they can 100% kick rocks.” Dakota dug into the last of her food and kept her head lowered.

Mandy opened and closed her mouth, trying to remember the last time Dakota got this upset about anything. When Dakota finished her food and looked up, Mandy gave her a weak smile and slid her upturned hand across the table. “I’m sorry I’ve been a bad friend. I know I’ll be busy working this summer but if I have a car then maybe we could hang out more? I miss laughing and talking with you. All Kennedy and Paris want to do is shop and gossip.”

Dakota bit her lip and stared at Mandy’s hand for several seconds before threading her fingers through her friend’s and squeezing. “Mandy, I love you like my sister and you know me better than probably even my family. But ditching me for those bobbleheads hurt and I’m not here to be your backup friend. I’ll talk with my parents about the car and let’s see how this summer goes. I... I miss you a lot too.” She glanced at her phone and her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh shit, is that the time? I’ve got to get home and start dinner. Can you put some cash on the table?” 

Mandy laughed, glad for the familiar break in the tension, and tucked several dollars under the plate before gathering her bag. 

They rode to Mandy’s house in silence but when Mandy reached across the seat for a hug before getting out, Dakota pulled her in close and gave her a long squeeze. “I’ll call you, Mandy. Promise.”

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Mandy smiled at the buzzing phone with ‘Dakatoe’ on the screen and answered it eagerly. “Hey there, Dakotoe. Gotta price on the car?”

“Hi, Mandible. Yeah, you were right; they absolutely jumped at the idea of extra money and space. They said that $5,0000 is the lowest they could take but they’d love $7,000 for it.”

“$7,500 it is. I’m going to make sure to have some more expensive examples ready to show my dad this is a great deal and if he finds me a nicer car then that’s a win too. I’m sure he won’t though. He doesn’t like hassle and we’ll tell him there’s another possible buyer so he doesn’t wait around. Mom will be happy when it’s done but will probably not say anything till I have the job hours worked out too.”

“God, Mandy, I forgot how extra they both are. You still home alone most of the time? Want me to come get you this weekend so we can study together? That is, if you don’t have scheduled mall hours.”

Mandy grinned, the corners of her eyes crinkling. “Let’s consider mall hours on pause. I’d love to hang out in your human zoo of a house. Think you could drive me to my first shift if we don’t have the car worked out yet?”

“Really leaning heavy on the favors recently, Mandible. But you’re lucky I’d jump at any reason my parents will buy to get out and have company. Pick you up Friday at 6? Pizza and movie, extra cheese for both?”

“Perfect.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mandy starts her new job, encounters some obstacles, and locates support from an unlikely source.

“Pass the popcorn.” Dakota shoved popcorn in her mouth and brushed the remnants from her chest. “Okay, so Paris and Kennedy like shopping and talking about boys. Anything else though? Like do they care about colleges or leaving town or anything? I just don’t understand how that’s enough to make them interesting to the rest of the school.”

Mandy giggled and grabbed the large metallic bowl. “Gimme that. They’re skinny and learned that buying expensive shit was enough to make them appear interesting to the ‘right’ people. My parents like me hanging out with them because their parents have businesses in Elmdale that make a lot of money. I think they hope we’ll, like, become lifelong friends and then my parents can go to fancy parties and hang with rich people. It’s so gross.” 

Mandy munched and gazed at the TV. “I thought that if I got to know them better, I could see if there was more to them and they’d introduce me to some cool people. But I think I was just some kind of project and now they’re bored. Like, I’m okay and my parents make enough for us to be seen together but they don’t let me know about parties or when they hang out at other people’s houses anymore.” 

She took a gulp of soda and batted in front of her face to shake off her displeasure. “Whatever, I don’t want to talk about them anyway. So, we worked my dad into paying for the car. Next issue - what should I wear for my first day of work? The email said ‘Jeans (appropriate fit and without rips), Rose Apothecary tee shirt (to be provided on first day of work, more provided at end of first shift), monocolor socks, and clean, closed-toed shoes with appropriate support for standing all day.’ I mean I have cute clothes now from all my shopping but everything’s all old, too-small stuff or cute, tight stuff.”

“Hmm, seems like you need to come on the family Walmart trip tomorrow. Get some real life shopping done. I swear I won’t tell David Rose-Brewer that your clean clothes aren’t fancy. Based on the website photos, I think Patrick will approve.”

“Oh God, David can never know. I think he still hasn’t figured out I’m the one who got period blood on his sheets and I don’t need being a fashion idiot like Wendy to remind him. But I really don’t want to go near the mall.” Mandy nipped at the corner of her thumbnail, mulling her options. “Yeah, let’s see what we can find. Not like I can show up in a drop-shoulder sweater, mini skirt, and wedges.”

“Not if you want to want to keep your brand new job. Might get you a hot date at Café Tropical though.”

Mandy threw popcorn at Dakota’s hair and spent the rest of the night forgetting she ever cared about the “right” anything.

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The elderly Volvo sedan sputtered when starting but got Mandy safely to and from the store. She figured out that the car needed extra time to get started each morning and climb the three hills on the route during her dry run on Sunday, which left her sleeping easier the next Friday night. 

When Saturday arrived, Mandy greeted it in her bedroom mirror with a nervous smile. She scrubbed away every speck of dirt from her body in the shower, clipped her fingernails, arranged and rearranged her black tee shirt and Levi’s, and pulled her hair into a tight ponytail. Would she be presentable enough to meet with the handbook requirements? She marched to the kitchen in hopes of leaving her uncertainty behind.

Mandy forced down some bran flakes with sliced banana and prayed she could escape without any questions from her mom, who was actually home for once between client meetings. 

“Oh, honey, are you wearing jeans to work?” Sandra leaned against the stove, gripping her coffee cup and frowning. 

Mandy inhaled deeply as she stood and blew out a breath, moving around her mom to rinse her bowl in the sink and toss it in the dishwasher. She turned to her mom and gazed at her as evenly as she could manage. “I don’t have time for this, Mom. This is what the employee handbook says to wear and I sent David a picture of it yesterday just in case. Can you please just be happy for me?”

Sandra pressed her lips together tightly and nodded. “You’re right. You’ve done what your dad and I asked and I need to recognize you’re nearly grown. Got time for a hug?” She opened her arms and beckoned Mandy into them.

“Okay, but then I have to get the car going.” Mandy stepped into her mother’s embrace and allowed herself to let go, just for a minute. She let herself forget about friend drama, adult expectations, how she hated her thighs in these jeans, and everything else keeping her up at night. It was everything she needed and felt entirely too short. 

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The morning passed slowly and Mandy sensed that David and Patrick were as nervous as she was, which was both comforting and confusing. Weren’t adults supposed to know what was going on?

“So Mandy, I’m curious, why did you click on the ad in the first place? What piqued your interest?” David repositioned the skincare containers by millimeters and kept his eyes on the display.

Mandy’s face turned scarlet and she turned towards the bathroom while sweeping. “Oh, well, I actually didn’t know this was a store until I went to the website. It’s kind of embarrassing but I thought it was for medicine? Like in _Romeo and Juliet_?” 

Patrick clapped from behind the register and pointed at his husband. “I told you, David. I told you. The name is confusing! No one hears ‘apothecary’ and thinks of a place that sells food, clothing, and skincare products.” 

“Timeless. The name is _timeless_. Like Mandy said, apothecaries have been a thing for hundreds of years. But they’ve evolved over time and ours is the latest example of that evolution.” David gestured to the open space in the middle of the store and turned back to Patrick. “Herman Melville said, ‘It is better to fail at originality than succeed at imitation.’”

“Oh yeah? Well, Albert Einstein said, ‘Everything should be made as simple as possible, if not simpler.’ Mandy, what do you think?”

She paused midsweep, surprised to be included. She’d been relaxing into the rhythm of what she’d learned over these past few hours was “happy couple conversation.” It reminded her of Dakota’s parents’ gentle barbs and snark at dinner. Crap, she needed an answer and didn’t want to have to hurt anyone’s feelings. “Well, it was definitely easy to remember the name of the store.”

“Exactly. Originality matters, Patrick,” David purred.

“But I also would never guess that someplace called an apothecary wouldn’t have, like chemicals or medicine or even like magical potions. So you’re both right?”

“Touché, Mandy. I think you win that round.” Patrick winked at her and she giggled. Maybe adults weren’t the worst?

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Mandy spent her drives to work that summer listening to calming music, thinking about questions for David or Patrick, or simply enjoying the freedom of being alone in her car. She couldn’t believe her parents complained about commuting, when it helped her push personal frustrations out the window and brought new insights to how she could learn even more at work. Granted, she had no traffic and it was summer weather.

She learned to read the energy of the store based on who was working, if there were vendor visits, the emotional and physical changes needed for evening events, and what it meant when any of the Roses or Stevie dropped by to visit. Through it all, Mandy found joy in the small but meaningful ways each of her employers showed her she could be trusted. Patrick smiled widely, told her she was doing a fantastic job, and gave her access to increasing amounts of company spreadsheets for tracking. With David it was more subtle: a whispered comment and smile to Patrick when he thought she wasn’t looking, telling her instead of showing her about the set-up for a new display and then asking her to do it alone, or asking for her feedback about an upcoming event and how she might improve it.

When she arrived to work several weeks later to find David in the back room flailing his hands around without speaking and Patrick motioning him to calm down, she was flummoxed to say the least. “Guys, what’s happening?”

“Oh, just the best worst thing since my family got decent jobs and moved away. Patrick and I met James and Brad, our dream couple friends, on our honeymoon and they invited us to their vacation house in the mountains in two weeks. We’d be gone for an entire week and there’s no way we could leave you alone here that long, even though you’re doing great and we love you, Mandy.”

Mandy gave a nervous laugh as she tucked her purse in her cubby. “Oh God, no, I wouldn’t want to be alone even a whole day. That sucks. What are you going to do?”

Patrick gave a deep sigh. “As David and I discussed earlier, it will be fine,” he said with a pointed look at his husband. “David, remember Stevie told us last week that she was ready for a break soon after checking out five motels in a row this month. She also owes us for those bottles of wine she ‘borrowed’ for her housewarming party a few months ago. I’ve texted her and she’s pretty sure she’s available to cover the store that week.”

David allowed his hands to fall to his sides and drifted closer to his husband. “I suppose that is all accurate information. Now that Stevie runs a corporation, she could probably handle store management.” He stepped behind Patrick and draped his arms over his shoulders, hands clasping on Patrick’s chest.

Patrick leaned back onto David and hummed softly. “Mandy, since you’re trained on assisting customers and maintaining the store, Stevie could handle the register and deal with any agitated customers. You feel ready if she’s here? We also would be available by phone for any emergencies.”

“Uh, yeah, if you both think I’m ready and Stevie is good with this, then of course, yeah.” Mandy nodded intensely, convincing herself as she agreed.

“Excellent. Okay, David, let’s make sure we send Stevie an updated employee handbook and have her sign and date the employee agreement to avoid any ‘friend-based confusion’ like when she’s covered the store in the past.”

“Uh, yeah. We will be double-checking all wine and moisturizer bottle counts. Though a thank-you gift basket may also be in order. If I recall, James mentioned something about bringing his crepe maker and it’s not lost on me that she’d be assisting with making that delicious breakfast experience happen for me.”

“You mean for us.”

“That’s what I said!”

“Sure, David.”

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Mandy scrubbed the tears from her cheeks, determined to be taken seriously at her first job and not like the crybaby she clearly was today. She yanked open the Apothecary door with enough force to send it down the street and marched into the store, her nose pointed at the exposed wood ceiling and nostrils flared. The curtains whooshed as she strode to the back room and flung her bag into her cubby. She affixed her name tag above her shirt pocket (magnet of course, as pins could damage the fabric and were incorrect). She gazed into the tall mirror in the “final review” area, checking for crumbs, wrinkles, or dog hairs, and returned to the main room.

“Something on your mind there, Mandy?” Stevie perched on a stool behind the register and quirked an eyebrow over her latest queer, supernatural romance. Mandy remembered how cool Stevie seemed from David’s stories many years ago and didn’t want to blow her chance to pass as not a complete dweeb during their first interaction beyond greetings and or something store related.

“I, uh, had a rough morning. Don’t really wanna talk about it but let’s just say it sucked and I can’t wait to live with people who aren’t relatives.” Mandy adjusted the box on her hip and made her way towards the table. “Okay, I’m going to get started on this display. If, um, that’s okay, or you don’t have any other notes from David or Patrick about other stuff I’m supposed to be doing, or whatever.”

“Relax, kid. You know probably more than me about ‘Keeping alive the Apothecary vision’ or whatever David’s phrase of the week was before they left on this little vacation.” She turned back to her book and settled into her warmed groove in the stool. “Feel free to tackle whatever projects you like, just as long as you chat with the unwashed masses so I can stay parked back here. You okay if we change the music in here until a customer barges in?”

“Yeah, sure, that’s cool.” Mandy hefted the box of Mellani’s Masks and perched it on the end of the display table. She unfolded and smoothed the worn pages of “RA Displays,” reviewing them a final time before beginning the updates. 

_Birds in the sky, you know how I feel._

_Sun in the sky, you know how I feel._

_Breeeeeze drifting on by, you know how I feel._

_It’s a new dawn._

_It’s a new day._

_It’s a new life, for me._

_Yeah, it’s a new dawn._

_It’s a new day._

_It’s a new life, for me._

_Ohhhhhhhhh_

_And I’m feeeeeling good._

Mandy paused, tilted her head, and turned back to the register. “I know this song but who’s this?”

Stevie grinned and shook her head. “Oh Mandy, has Sandy—sorry, _Sandra_ —only been playing that Michael Bublé crap? I had a feeling this was needed. Take in the magic that is Nina Simone.” She turned back to her book, humming and tapping along with the music.

Mandy looked up sharply, surprised to hear Stevie mention her mom by name but decided to leave that one untouched for now. She shrugged at the music request, grateful not to have to deal with David’s 90’s pop, Patrick’s classic rock, or Customer Service Jazz (which seemed to be the only three stations allowed in the store). This music was old but completely different from the old stuff anyone in her family played. Nina growled, crooned, and left her feeling unsettled but wanting more. She blew several breaths in and out, feeling the self-righteous anger seep from her pores. 

“This is cool. I, um, I like it.” Mandy spoke just loud enough for Stevie to hear her over the music, not wanting to appear too eager or weird. She focused on tucking the masks between the designated cleansers, toners, and moisturizers. David hovering over her shoulder and pointing out mistakes during her first week practically gave her hives but now Mandy begrudgingly agreed that his detailed training made setup a breeze. 

Stevie grunted in agreement from behind her book but didn’t share any other thoughts.

They passed the morning in relative quiet, Mandy helping the slow but steady stream of customers and refilling displays as needed. Her growling stomach and aching heels won over her pride by midday. “Gonna head to the café. Be back in 30 and then we’ll switch?”

“Sure, we could do that. Or, I could give you cash to get a burger and fries for me too and we could sit in the Employee Only Café out back for that break. Only if you’re interested in company, though?”

Mandy’s eyes widened and she inhaled sharply, “Oh yeah, but, um, how would we keep the shop open? Because David and Patrick were both super serious about not closing between 9-5 unless it was an emergency.”

Stevie guffawed, “Listen kid, I’ve known David since before he had a business thought in his head and dropped the idea of a video doorbell to him for this exact reason. You call in our order and get it from Twyla. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Mandy screwed up her face and bit the inside of her lip. She hated to lose cool points in front of Stevie but she’d be damned if she was going to get fired from the best (and only) job of her life. “Fine, but if they get mad, then I’m telling them you made me do it.” 

Stevie placed a hand on Mandy’s shoulder and gently squeezed. “They won’t know. And even if they did, they wouldn’t dare try to give me lip about secrets. Trust me.” Stevie’s grin grew to Grinch levels of mischief and Mandy couldn’t believe she finally got to be on this side of a scheme. 

“Right, well, I’m calling over there and will be back in a few. Meet you out back?” Mandy retrieved her phone from the cubby, called in the order, and scurried to the café without waiting for Stevie’s reply. 

She fiddled with her phone as she swung her feet underneath the counter in the café, scrolling past nothing in particular but hoping it would signal that she was not interested in casual conversation. God, what she wouldn’t give to instantly ban unwanted conversation like Stevie could. She bet no one ever roped her into dumb pool parties, trips to the mall, or volleyball games. 

“Order up! Here we go Mandy! Got two Southwest burgers and fries, one side of ranch, and two strawberry shakes.” Twyla bounced to the register and smiled at Mandy as she counted her change. “Going okay over there with Stevie? Don’t let her intimidate you. She’s spiky on the outside but gooey inside. Oh, that reminds me, George, did you add marshmallow fluff to the order for next week? Remember, for the Fluffernutter shakes?” Twyla disappeared into the kitchen, her metaphorical ‘friendly waitress’ hat replaced with a ‘Boss Bitch’ blazer.

Mandy chuckled and collected the meals, nodding at regulars as she made her way out of the café and over to the back of the store. She plopped the bag and beverage holder in the center of the picnic table and grabbed her box and cup, ready to dig in after the morning’s effort. The café’s food would never be her favorite but lunch was peppered with new flavors: independence, confidence, and the possibility of friendship. 

Stevie paused between bites, narrowing her eyes at Mandy’s noises of appreciation. “Okay, George’s cooking is alright, only just past tolerable on the best days. You eating at home? Someone got you on some diet of the week?” 

“Oh, sorry, I can keep it down.” Fuck, now she looked like an idiot. Mandy willed herself to chew silently.

“What, no. Eat as loud as you want. Twy will be over the moon when I tell her someone moaned with delight over the food. Seriously though, you okay? And please keep in mind that very few people receive my genuine concern.” Stevie smirked and returned to her food.

Mandy chewed the greasy fries and took a moment to consider her desired level of honesty. She and Stevie had worked together for a few shifts already this summer but this was the first one without David and Patrick around to drop in at any moment (which they tended to do, even on days off). They’d be running the store together (or alternating days later if Stevie felt Mandy was up to it) and she didn’t want to misunderstand their relationship this early.

“I got into a fight with my friends last night and then when I called my mom about it, she took their side.” Tears welled in Mandy’s eyes and she willed them back. She shoved a monster bite of burger into her mouth, quickly wiping away the juice and condiments, staring anywhere but Stevie’s face. 

“Hmm. Well, that definitely sucks and calls for red meat, carbs, and sugar.” Stevie sucked at her milkshake and peered at Mandy with eagle-eyed focus. “How do you feel now that you’ve had some space?”

Mandy sighed, surprised that Stevie would even care about this. She readied her typical nonchalant reply but it stuck in her throat with tears and anxiety threatening to escape. Fuck it.

“I think I’m tired of every single person in my house, my high school, and my town. They all think they know exactly who I am and who I’m supposed to be, but I don’t even know that yet, so how could they?” She speared a fry into the ranch and swirled it around. “Like, why do I have to do exactly what everyone else does to be their friend? Going to the mall is not a personality trait and having the money to buy something at every store doesn’t make you a superior human being.” She popped the fry into her mouth and looked Stevie dead in the eyes, willing her to look away.

Stevie, of course, didn’t just hold Mandy’s gaze—she returned it plus a feral grin, slow clap and a whispered, “Well done, padawan.”

Mandy rolled her eyes, not yet ready to let Stevie in on everything she understood and secretly fanned out about in incognito tabs. “Yeah, it’s great that you care and all, but like, isn’t that _not_ your thing? Aren’t you all, ‘I’m Stevie Budd and I’m always chill and smart and do whatever I want.’” Mandy propped both fists on her hips, puffed her chest, and tossed back her head, practically crowing.

“Ohhh, it’s like that, huh?” Stevie narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger at her lunchmate. “I’m not going to give you a full retort today because you haven’t earned that yet. But I will say that I see material here I could work with—that is, if you have an opening for a Spinster Aunt, She Devil, or Filth Elder.”

Mandy sputtered and glared at Stevie, certain that the last line had been timed for her recent gulp of milkshake. She wiped her face and slowly took another sip before replying, “Was your goal to make me think you came up with the concept of Filth Elder or to test my knowledge of John Waters?”

“Working up to a completely snarky comeback today, Mandy. I would have taken either one but truly surprised we’re at option B. How’d you come upon that bit of knowledge? Buzzfeed quiz? Bathroom stall?”

“I mean he talks about it all the time in his movie reviews. I love how you never know what he’s going to say.” Mandy leaned forward on her elbow and twirled an errant hair strand around her finger, staring into the distance. “My brother got me into his movies when I was waayyyy too little to watch them. Georgie’s always been super open about who he is and talked about being gay basically since he understood the word. He and his friends used to watch those movies in the basement and have Divine look-alike competitions. They’d let me come down for tame shit like _Cry Baby_ and _Hairspray_. When I got older they let me watch more but always fast-forwarded through sex scenes. ‘None of this shit would help you in the bedroom anyway.’”

Stevie chuckled and shook her head. “He’s absolutely correct. John Waters is a genius but definitely a twisted one. Don’t want to see something like _Pink Flamingos_ before you even understand how fucked up it is. This means we’ve established you can seek out quality content and hide that from authority figures. Now, who all knows about this interest?”

“God, no one really. If Kennedy and Paris found out about me being into queer cult movies I’d sit by myself at lunch every day. I’m into weird movies, not stupid.”

“Well, there’s where we start. Sounds like you either need to drop Kennedy and Paris or find a way to see if they’re cooler than you’d expect. Either one of them ever try to get a discount here from you?” 

“Huh, funny you should mention it. I hadn’t heard from either one of them in weeks, texted them in our group chat to see what was up, and they ignored that too. I told my mom about it this morning and she decided that I needed to ‘learn that friends need their space too, Mandy.’” She rolled her eyes and pushed her food around in the to go box. “Then Dakota mentioned me working here in a retweet. Suddenly they ‘hadn’t seen me in so long and heard it was super cute where I worked’ and just had to know my next shift. I thought it was weird when they texted but now that you say that, I bet they will. So annoying and embarrassing.” Mandy tucked her face into her armpit and tossed her other arm over her head.

“Mandy.” Stevie waited in silence. Once Mandy raised her head, Stevie continued. “Trust your gut. And remember that you’re not allowed to share your discount with them anyway. Only David can do that and Patrick allows that because no one but me is allowed to claim that honor.” Stevie held Mandy’s gaze until the younger woman looked away.

“Yeah, David and Patrick made that crystal clear before they left. God, you think Paris and Kennedy will show up and try to get me to use it? Ugh, of course they will. Okay, so what’s step one in the ‘Cool vs. Drop Them’ test?” Mandy squinted one eye and grimaced, unsure if Stevie meant what she said about the testing.

“Oh, that’s simple. Text them now and let them know your schedule this week. Whenever they show up and try for the discount, tell ‘em it’s only for you, _no exceptions_. Watch their faces and see if they buy any of the stuff they picked out or suddenly have somewhere else to be. And if they bail, see how long it takes for them to reach back out. Round one may take care of the entire test, honestly. And I’m here if that’s the case.” Stevie’s expression softened and she gave Mandy a small smile. 

Mandy smiled slowly, timid in her new protected status and unsure how long this would last. How many adults had started this process and decided she was too shy, too willing to go along with a group to avoid conflict and keep a friend? Teachers, Wendy, her dad, and lately even her mom seemed to find her sweet but not nearly independent enough. “Okay, yeah, I can try that. I’m sick of feeling like their default friend.” 

“That’s the spirit. Better alone than lonely, Mandy. Always.” Stevie reached across the table and gave Mandy’s hand a quick squeeze. “You done with this?”

Mandy nodded, wiped her hands on a napkin, and pushed her trash in Stevie’s direction, grabbing her phone to text before she could talk herself out of it. ‘ _Working every day this week at Rose Apothecary. Feel free to come say hi, if you want to or whatever_ .’ To her surprise, the phone vibrated immediately with smiling emojis and promises to _‘Be there tomorrow! Can’t wait!_ ’ 

Mandy rolled her eyes, annoyed that Stevie’s plan was already working and nervous that she’d actually have to talk to Kennedy and Paris about how they’d been treating her like a faithful puppy ever since they all started at Elmdale High. She shoved the phone down into her bag and that thought to the back of her mind, eager to return to work and focus on something—anything—else. 

Stevie held open the back door. “Ready?”

“Ready.” Mandy stood, brushed off her clothes, and rolled her shoulders back. She marched through the door and tossed her bag in the cubby. After a quick bathroom run she made her way back to the most recent display and spent the afternoon in a state of controlled focus, determined not to let Stevie see her lose her cool about silly kid stuff.

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Mandy watched the door the entire next day, jumping with each successive customer, but Kennedy and Paris never arrived. While she’d never tell Stevie, Mandy felt relieved they didn’t come. Well, 50% relieved, 25% disappointed they didn’t care enough and lied, and 25% annoyed that she couldn’t just _deal_ with it now. 

She and Stevie found their rhythm with playlists, store responsibilities, and lunch chats. Mandy reveled in seeing Stevie’s soft underbelly: learning about not only their shared pop culture interests (indie rap, cult horror movies) and hated personality traits (whininess, selfishness), but also deeper stuff like relatives who never came through like they said they would and ones who shocked the hell out of you by actually giving a damn. 

On day three, Stevie stole a fry and gave her an overly casual glance. “So, heard anything more from the mall queens?”

“Fuck, I knew you’d ask me about that.” Mandy pinched the top of her nose and sighed, leaning on her propped elbow. “No, they haven’t said anything else and it’s whatever. I knew them responding that fast was too good to be true. Anyway, it’s been nice to do something away from them for a while and bonding with Dakota again has been super cool.”

“Hmm. Your mom ever tell you that she and I were in homeroom together in high school?”

“Wait, you had classes with my mom? I knew you went to high school at the same time but she never mentioned you two hanging out.” Mandy sat up straighter, her lunch forgotten.

Stevie laughed, throwing her legs on the bench and leaning back on her hands. “Oh yes, Sandy and I were well acquainted. She talk with you about high school much?”

“Ha! You think my mom actually wants to do the whole, ‘Sit down, honey. Let’s chat’ routine? Jeez, Stevie. Not sure what ‘Sandy’ was like in high school but she’s sure as hell not into that now.” Mandy chewed on a thumbnail and stared at the table.

“I’m not usually one to wax nostalgic but you need to hear this story and it sounds like your mom isn’t going to share it.” Stevie took in and released a deep breath, staring at the weeds and farmland in the distance. “Freshman year, your mom and I were inseparable. We ate lunch together, studied, hid in our rooms, and dodged popular kids like a sport. Sophomore year began the same way, and then Darlene Jones happened.”

“Wait, Aunt Darlene?” 

Stevie snorted. “Yeah, sure. Darlene moved here from Toronto when her parents died in a car accident and she basically didn’t talk for like, a year. No one really knew what to make of her. She dressed like she wanted to be on MTV, aced every test, and didn’t seem to want to be friends with anyone. That meant, of course, that the kids ‘in charge’ needed to let her know she wasn’t cool or popular like them. They hated that she didn’t kiss their asses. So the pranks began.” 

Stevie squinted and blew out a breath, pausing before she continued in a softer voice. “First it was her locker. Nasty notes shoved in the slots and jeers when she opened it. When that didn’t get a reaction, they stole her gym clothes so she’d have to use the backup ones with holes and stains. And when that didn’t work, the rumors started. Awful shit like: _Did you hear she caused the accident? I heard they aren’t even dead, they just couldn’t stand her and sent her to live with her grandparents to get her out of the house_. God, Satan is a small town teenager and you’ll never convince me otherwise.”

“Wait, all this happened when all of you were in high school? Mom and Aunt Darlene always talked about how they were cheerleaders and everyone was super nice to them? I mean I knew about her parents but I’ve never heard any of this. What the fuck?” 

Mandy swung her legs out from under the picnic table, popped up, and walked to the empty lot. She could feel the tears beginning to pool behind her eyes and wasn’t ready for Stevie to see that yet. “Please keep going.”

“You sure, kid? We can stop if you’re too upset. I think the rest of this story will help though.”

“Yeah, I’m okay. I want to know.”

“So, at some point the teachers decided that this _Lord of the Flies_ shit had gone too far. Our homeroom teacher, Ms. Drumgill, stopped me and your mom in the hallway one day before the end of sophomore year and asked us to come by after school. She told us we weren’t in trouble but that she really needed to talk with us. When we went, she told us that Darlene needed help but would never ask for it. And her grandparents weren’t bad people but had no clue how to help. The teachers all apparently voted me and your mom as the most likely candidates to actually be nice to her and also not give a fuck about our social ranking if we befriended her. Not her exact words but you get it.”

Mandy laughed between her tears and pushed them off her cheeks. “Yeah, I get it. There’s always teachers who hate the way kids treat each other. I’m glad she spoke up.”

“Yeah, she was surprisingly on top of shit for once. Sandy and I just kinda mumbled through to get out of the room and out of school. When we got to our usual spot by the creek, we sat there a while because neither one of us wanted to be the first to talk. Eventually we both started talking at the same time and realized that we had to help or we’d be total dicks. It was scary though, because we’d flown under the radar for two years and had hoped to just get the fuck out at graduation without battle scars. I’m guessing you understand what that’s like.” 

“Oh yeah, I definitely do. So who talked to Aunt Darlene first? And how the fuck did Mom and Darlene become cheerleaders but you didn’t?”

Stevie doubled over and gave a deep belly laugh, spewing soda out of her nose and wiping her face with a napkin. “Mandy, if you think there’s any point in my life when I would ever consider being a cheerleader, then I need to re-evaluate my opinions about your intelligence. Anyway, your mom passed Darlene a note during homeroom the next day, asking her to sit with us for lunch in the cafeteria. She didn’t say anything or look at us when she read it but she sat with us for lunch. After that, we were pretty much always all three together and once she found out we weren’t going to make fun of her or spread lies, Darlene opened up.” 

Mandy sat back down and leaned against the table, her shoulders taut and attention hyper-focused on Stevie. Stevie continued, “I did okay talking with Darlene but God, your mom was just amazing. She stayed super calm when Darlene talked about her parents, helped her when Darlene’s grandparents didn’t understand dealing with demonic teenagers, and knew when to check in with a call or note when Darlene’s depression kicked in. I just tried to make everyone laugh and let anyone else know that their previous shit would not be tolerated.”

“I’m sure that helped too, Stevie. My mom talks a big game but I’ve never met anyone who can shut someone up with a glare like you. I bet Darlene appreciated that more than you know.”

“Thanks, kid. Maybe you're right. Your mom, though, she was committed. So when she and Darlene got jobs at the mall while I worked at the motel, I didn’t think anything of it. There weren’t many options for work around here and they could ride their bikes together or get rides from folks when the weather sucked.” 

Stevie paused and picked at an errant piece of wood on the table. “But then. Then, they started getting invited to parties. They took me along for awhile but I could tell they were getting into circles where I wasn’t welcome. I’m nobody's charity case so I started getting ‘busy’ and then they stopped asking. By the time our junior year rolled around, they were on the cheerleading squad and I was skipping the classes I knew I could get away with missing. We never fought or anything, just the kind of shit that happens in high school.” 

Stevie paused and Mandy rolled her eyes and nodded in understanding. Stevie sighed deeply and resumed in a gentler tone. “Now, I don’t really know your mom anymore and that’s okay. I can’t fucking believe that I have the life I do and the years between then and now aren’t worth rehashing. But I want you to know that your mom has seen kids act like shit and faced it. Somewhere in that brain of hers, she remembers what real friendship looks like and what it’s worth. And I’m positive that you know too.” Stevie rapped the table with her knuckles and pushed herself to standing. “Okay, that’s enough sincerity for a while. Let’s get back in there so you can chat with the public and I can take their money.” 

They cleaned up in silence and Mandy said approximately ten words to Stevie the rest of the day. Stevie locked the front door at 5:20 p.m., turned to walk to her car, and stopped when Mandy put a hand on her arm. 

“Thanks. For today. What you said. I still don’t know what I’m going to do but it does help to know my mom dealt with it as an unpopular kid too.”

Stevie turned to face her. “Since I’ve already fucked up the order of the universe by spilling secrets, might as well keep going. Care for a hug, kid?”

The minute Mandy’s head began to bob Stevie pulled her close and tightly wrapped her arms around her, forcing Mandy to bend forward. 

Mandy tucked her face into Stevie’s neck, breathing in the mint of her shampoo and ginger citrus of her body wash. She returned a squeeze and pulled back, her face relaxed and a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Thanks, Stevie. I, uh, promise to keep today’s revelations to myself. Wouldn’t want to damage your hard won fuck-off reputation.”

Stevie narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger at Mandy’s chest. “See that you do.” She grinned in spite of herself and turned to walk away. “See ya tomorrow, padawan.”


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mandy faces her fears and finds her voice <3

The bell above the front door dinged and Mandy jumped while bent over the newest display. “Chill out, Mandy,” she murmured and ran her hands along the outside of her thighs to rub off the nervous sweat. She pushed herself to remain focused on her task, knowing Stevie would greet the customers. That would give her an extra moment to collect herself in case it was  _ them _ . 

“God, what a mom store. Everything is so random in here. I mean vegetables, scarves, and soap? I should definitely come back here for Mother’s Day, though.” 

_ Crap, this was it. You got this, Mandy. They’re just teenagers and you don’t even really care what they think. Come on. Get OVER there.  _

Mandy made her way towards the girls and cleared her throat to get their attention. “Hey, Kennedy. Hey, Paris. Did you come by to say hi or do you want help finding anything? It’s cool either way.” Her voice cracked slightly on the last word but she forced her eyes to hold theirs and her hands to remain at her sides. 

They both tilted their heads to the right and pursed their lips. As usual, Paris let Kennedy speak first, not wanting to get on her bad side. “Mandy, that is so cute. You sound like a real worker person from the mall. Do you work here, like, every day? I didn’t know your family needed money like that.” 

Mandy ignored the false sweetness dripping from Kennedy’s voice and returned her pouty look. “Oh Kennedy, that’s so sweet of you. You know, I’ve been so busy here I totally forgot to keep you both in the know about my life right now. Yeah, I work here a lot and the owners told me they can’t believe how quickly I became an important part of their boutique business. Guess I’m just not thinking about ‘teen stuff’ these days. Anyway, I’ll be in the back so just let me know if you need anything.” She gave them a little wave and returned as slowly as she could manage to the display in the back left corner of the store. 

Kennedy huffed and whispered something to Paris, who rolled her eyes and nodded. They tramped back towards Mandy and edged close to her. Kennedy cocked her hip and glared at Paris. “Ugh, guess I’ll do it. So, Mandy, um.” Kennedy leaned even closer and lowered her voice. “Can we, like, use your discount on some of this stuff? I know I said it was kinda dumb earlier but this moisturizer is totally what Erica told me her dermatologist recommends for combination skin.”

Mandy straightened her spine and smiled blandly at the girls. “Wow, Kennedy, it must have been super difficult for you to ask for that, since you just asked me why I needed to have this job at all. I would love to help you but Rose Apothecary has a strict No Friends and Family Discount policy for employees. Good luck though. I hear that line is only sold here and on the creator’s website. Anything else I can help you find today?”

Kennedy’s face fell for a microsecond before returning to its nonplussed mask. “Whatever. Guess we’ll see you at school. Come on Paris, let’s get out of this janky town.” She grabbed Paris’s hand and pulled the bewildered girl out to the sidewalk. Paris mumbled apologies to no one in particular and shuffled to keep up with Kennedy.

Mandy stared out the wide front windows, calculating her reaction so that when Stevie inevitably asked how she was, she’d have an answer. Not wanting to wait for that moment, she turned to the register and found her typically sarcastic manager grinning widely. “Uh, Stevie, are you okay?”

Stevie scrambled off the stool, wove through the tables, and grabbed Mandy by the shoulders. “Mandy, I am not one for superlatives. But that was fucking amazing! How do you feel right now?” Stevie stared deeply into Mandy’s eyes and gripped her tightly. 

“Um, I would actually like to sit down, if that’s okay?”

“Yeah, let’s get you to the stool.” Stevie guided her to the front of the store, Mandy’s exhilaration turning to reflection. “I’m going to get you some of this juice. Don’t tell Patrick or David about it or they’ll tell you gooey-eyed stories that will turn your stomach faster than a Twyla Smoothie Surprise.” 

Mandy nodded and sipped at the juice while perched on the stool. “That was the scariest thing I’ve ever done, Stevie. I don’t talk to people like them like that. I have no idea what they’re going to tell people about me now.” She took some more sips of juice, bit her lip, and rubbed her hand on her thigh. 

With her eyes wide and grin still firmly in place, Stevie propped her elbows on the counter and leaned forward. “Kid. Is there anything they could say about you that would make you change what happened today?”

“Oh, no way.” Mandy shook her head vehemently. “I’m really glad we talked about this the other day and I was ready, though. I feel like I could fight a bear or something right now. I feel like a hundred different emotions are having a party in my brain.” Mandy giggled behind her hands and bit her lip, attempting to hold on to her last shreds of professionalism.

Stevie pushed herself up and walked to the Employees Only area. When she returned moments later with her satchel, she announced, “As manager of this establishment, I’m naming you in charge for approximately one hour. I shall return with proper celebration fare and we will break at that time. You got this, Mandy.” 

Stevie was out the door and around the corner before Mandy could formulate a reply. “What? Who am I even asking?” She shook her head and laughed softly, grabbing the spray bottle and towel from the shelf beneath the register. Humming along with the now familiar indie rock Pandora station, she focused on repetitive movements: spray, wipe, spray, wipe. The late morning sun dappled the greenery in the window, casting varying beams across the warm space and Mandy paused to admire it. 

She polished and scrubbed every surface in sight. By the time Stevie burst through the door an hour later with a large, greasy pizza box and loaded beverage holder, Mandy and the store appeared well prepared for customers of any sort. “Hey, Stevie, oh my God, is that Sal’s? I thought they didn’t do lunch anymore?”

Stevie bustled to the back and called over her shoulder. “I know a guy. Break time. Get your ass back here.”

They chatted, laughed, and shoveled greasy goodness and Mexican Coke into their mouths until the hated chime sent Stevie back inside. Mandy knew she’d never tell a soul about it but felt big words bubble inside that had to be released. She turned to face the weeds and closed her eyes. “It doesn’t matter what they think. It doesn’t matter what they say. I’m going to hang out with who I want and take the classes I want and go to the college I want.” 

Her skin tingled, and her stomach swooped then settled. Her brain felt fuzzy and crackling, like she was touching one of those lightning globes at the science center. She inhaled and exhaled quickly before cleaning up the picnic table. Stevie needed backup and Mandy now knew that she was the best person to give it.  _ Come on, Mandy. Time to get in there and help your friend.  _


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mandy takes her newly found confidence on a test drive later in the week. How far will she go?

The next day passed in a rush for Mandy and Stevie. After the feature in  _ Rural Ontario  _ in the spring, Saturdays meant tourists and weekend road warriors who were eager to discover the “charming and unique boutique” before all of their friends did. 

Mandy smiled, upsold, guided, and corralled without even thinking of teenage social troubles until she unlocked her phone on her late lunch break. Why did she have so many text messages? She wasn’t popular enough by half to blow up like this and her parents knew to just call the store with any emergencies. 

_ OMG what are you wearing tonight? Haven’t seen you at the mall in forever! _

_ Did you hear that Kevin S. will be there? I don’t think he’s still dating that girl if you wanna show up and give him something to remember. ;)  _

_ Hope to see you tonight! Can’t wait! _

The texts rolled in from girls she barely even remembered hanging out with. This must be one of the ‘epic parties’ Kennedy and Paris were worried she’d miss with all of this pesky employment over the summer. Funny how she heard about it from everyone except them. 

She pressed her lips together tightly. There was no doubt Kennedy and Paris left her out on purpose. She scrolled through the texts and gathered that the party would be at Sean’s house since his parents were in Toronto for the weekend. She jammed the phone in her bag, finished her lunch, and hurried inside to relieve Stevie. Maybe an afternoon of customers would make a quiet evening feel relaxing.

🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃🜃 

It didn’t. Mandy’s footsteps echoed down the hallway until she toed off her shoes by the shoe rack. 

_ Last minute business dinner so order whatever you want. See you in the morning for Family Brunch! - Mom _

Great. Mandy was counting on her mom being home to ask lots of questions and give her an excuse to stay home tonight. She wandered back to her room and flopped back on the bed. She turned and stared vacantly at the rack in her closet. Should she remind herself how cute she could look, even if she wasn’t going anywhere? That could be fun, right? Right. She was going to pick out some cute looks, order from Pho Sure, and wear something killer to pick it up. 

Twenty minutes and ten looks later, Mandy landed on the  [ red minidress ](https://www2.hm.com/en_us/productpage.0928352002.html) with sheer puffed short sleeves and overlay (making the dress appear slightly longer to keep her mom from freaking out, in case her work plans suddenly cancelled). It sucked that none of her classmates would see her killer look and she wavered on her decision. At the door, she propped her oversized black leather slouch purse on top of the shoe rack, leaned down to slide on her black vegan leather and cork  [ heeled wedges  ](https://www.lulus.com/products/nixie-black-wedge-sandals/628182.html) and fastened the clasp at the ankle.  She had some unfinished business so why not take care of it now?

She cranked up Disney Radio, no longer caring if someone saw her singing along at a stoplight, tapping the tops of her to-go containers and holding them steady as she rounded corners.  Mandy pulled up to a house making so much noise she wondered if anyone had put in a noise complaint and checked her lipstick in the rear view mirror.  She parked, got out, and swung the purse over her shoulder, knocking the car door closed with her hip. Damn, she felt young, alive, and free tonight. She walked up to the front door and rang the bell. 

Screaming and thundering footsteps grew increasingly louder and right by the door she heard a girl yell, “That’s enough, Peter and Michael! Take it down from a 10 to a 5!” The door creaked open and Mandy held her food in front of her as an offering. 

“Madam, may I interest you in this town’s finest dumplings and assistance with your childcare?” Mandy smirked, unable to hide her glee at Dakota’s astonishment.

Dakota snatched the food with one hand and Mandy’s wrist with the other. “Get in here before one of our neighbors sees you and thinks I’m throwing a party.” She wedged the food into a free spot on the kitchen table and then turned to Mandy. Eyeing her top to bottom, Dakota gave a low whistle and twirled her finger to motion Mandy around. “Okay, so what gives, Mandible? You get lost on the way to Sean’s house? Yes, I’m boring, not oblivious. Everyone knows about Sean’s party.”

Mandy turned in a slow circle, bowed, left her shoes by the door, and went to the sink to wash her hands. “So, had a fun little chat the other day with Paris and Kennedy and now, well, I don’t know what they think but they probably aren’t happy. I found out about the party from other people but no one actually invited me or anything, so I was gonna get fancy for me and my dumplings. Decided on the way home that it was stupid for me to sit in my house alone when one of the best people in the world was probably stuck in her house with loud kids and leftovers. Did I guess right?” She brought over two plates with small bowls, soup spoons, and chopsticks balanced on top. 

“Mandy.” Dakota scooped the fragrant soup into both bowls and plopped overstuffed dumplings on each plate. “I want to be mad you didn’t text but I’m so hungry and happy I just cannot. Hurry up and eat before the monsters figure out we’re eating takeout without them.” 

They slurped, munched, and chatted until only sauce packets remained. Dakota tossed the packets in the trash and they cleaned up the kitchen, falling into a familiar rhythm of shared babysitting days gone by. Mandy changed into pajamas in Dakota’s room (and texted her mom that she’d be home for brunch) while Dakota huffed upstairs to supervise bedtime. 

“Ugh, finally. God, that always takes longer than I think it will. If date night didn’t make my parents happier people who then leave me alone, I would consider this child abuse. I bet your house is zenlike.” Dakota shucked off her jeans and shirt, not bothering to turn around as she pulled on her pj’s. 

“My house is tomblike. Which is nice for studying but awful at meals.” Mandy lowered her voice and hugged her pillow. “I’ve missed this so much more than I even knew, Dakota. I’m sorry I’ve been a shitty friend recently and that it took me till now to figure it out. Can I, um, can I tell you about some school stuff? Maybe hear about what’s new for you?” Mandy twirled a lock of hair around her index finger and hoped she didn’t sound too eager. 

“Are you kidding? Yes! Do you mean school like now or like college? Oh my gosh, I don’t have anything new from a few months ago really, so tell me everything.” Dakota bounced next to her friend, pulling their hands together and hanging on every word as Mandy detailed AP classes, degrees, and possible careers in chemistry. 

🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂🜂

Screams and thumping shook Mandy from slumber earlier than she’d prefer for a Sunday. Sneaking to the bathroom across the hall, she freshened up enough to make it past Dakota’s family and home for brunch. She toweled her face dry and checked in the mirror for any residual makeup. The face in the mirror didn’t show any product but it did glow with something new: belonging.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David and Patrick return from their holiday to find a slightly different Mandy than they left. Mandy has one surprising conversation that leads to an even more surprising follow up.

“Okay, but how was I supposed to know it was a joke, Stevie? The ad appeared very real in my email. Yes, I am eternally grateful that you could move around your schedule to cover the store, though I am quite sure our highly skilled employee did the bulk of the labor.”  David moved further back into the storage area and his voice faded, leaving Mandy catching every few words of his diatribe. She turned to Patrick for clarification.

Patrick stifled a laugh behind his hand and attempted to cover it with a cough. Mandy followed him to the wall facing the register and restocked jars with him as he explained, his voice barely above a whisper. “Got an email this morning that said Rose Apothecary was having a ‘Bathroom Blowout Sidewalk Sale, with plungers, bathroom cleaning products, and laxatives all 25% off.’ Needless to say, it’s been an interesting first morning back. Hey, the store looks great though! How ya feeling after working with Stevie for a week?” 

A blush spread across Mandy’s cheeks and down her neck from the compliment on her work and she ducked to tie her shoe. She stood slowly, her face feeling cooler as she composed herself. “It was pretty cool, actually. The customers weren’t bad at all and Saturday it was too busy to even notice how tired I got till I left. I learned a lot out on the floor.” 

“Oh yeah? Stevie let you do your thing, huh?” 

“Yeah, she told me that since you both trusted me enough to hire me then she had no reason to think I couldn’t do anything in the store. She, uh, also helped me with some personal stuff. Turns out she knew my mom in school, even though my mom never talked much about her.”

Patrick kept shelving, his face turned away. “Stevie is quite the oracle. She’s good at showing people parts of themselves they’re not always ready to see. Like the time she pushed David until he admitted we were boyfriends.”

Mandy chortled and added this to her growing list of reasons the ‘Stevie, Patrick, and David Friendship Triangle’ was quickly becoming her top life goal. “Really? You know what, though? After last week, I’m not surprised. We talked about friends because there’s these girls who—actually, nevermind, they don’t matter. But Stevie was helping me figure that out and she told me about how she and my mom used to be super close and helped out my mom’s friend Darlene. It was kind of intense but also the most honest an adult has ever spoken with me. It was cool.” 

They shelved in silence and Mandy wondered if that would be the end of their Life Lessons conversation. She laughed inwardly when Patrick cleared his throat and the questions resumed. “So, you and your mom okay now? Don’t mean to pry, just seemed like you might not be done with that story.”

Mandy frowned, unsure if she wanted to keep sharing about her family while at work. She focused on the placement of each item and debated if she could remain calm enough to keep David happy with the display. She landed on sharing, since understanding adults who took time to listen were rare. “I haven’t been having the easiest time with my mom. And my dad is, well, just not really interested in talking with me unless it’s about money.” She bit her cheek and covered her eyes, grimacing at her disclosure. “Sorry, you probably don’t want to hear about this annoying teenage stuff. I bet you got along really great with your parents.” 

Patrick snorted, leaned against the edge of the cabinet and turned to face her. “Mandy, it’s a rite of passage to think your parents have no clue what you’re going through as a teen. Some of it they really won’t get because they don’t know about all of your friends or interests or school stuff. I certainly dealt with that part. I got older, got closer with my parents, and it started getting easier. But I didn’t do the important in-between step, when you get uncomfortably honest with them and show them who you really are as an adult. I didn’t do that with anyone in my hometown and it nearly cost me David. A couple times, actually.” 

He rubbed the back of his neck and stared out the window. “I don’t know if you want to hear all of that though. Not really appropriate boss and employee talk.”

“No, I do.” Mandy swiveled to the center table and began restocking there as well. “I mean, if you want to share it. Talking to people about serious stuff is hard for me and with my parents it feels impossible.” She lowered her voice and added, “It’s really nice to know even grown-ups who seem on top of everything deal with this, too. That I’m not alone.” 

“Okay, good. The most important conversations are always hard. Well, sometimes you get off the hook with the right person and some of them are easy. But, difficult conversations are part of life and can lead to positive outcomes you couldn’t have imagined on your own. Avoidance doesn’t bring happiness. If you want, we could practice one of the conversations now. If it’s not too personal.” Patrick gave her an encouraging smile and turned back to the cabinet to give her space to decide. 

“Okay, yeah. Maybe I could try that. So, my parents are both super into business. My dad had a construction company and met my mom when she was his secretary. They got married, had my brother and me, and then got divorced when we were little. My dad always took care of us, though, and even paid for my mom to go back to school so she’s now a lawyer at a fancy firm based out of Toronto. Dad sold the construction business a few years ago and owns steakhouses now instead. I think they want me to do something businessy too but I don’t care about that stuff at all.”

“Okay, so what do you want to do? Or do you know yet?” Patrick’s neck flushed and he gave her a half smile. “It’s totally okay if you don’t know yet. In fact, in some ways that’s better because I thought I had it all figured out before I even started college and jeez -”

“Patrick, Patrick, stop.” Mandy held up her hand and when that had no effect rested her hand on Patrick’s arm. “I know what I want to study. That’s the issue.” 

She stepped back, making a mental note to text Dakota later about her boss’s impressive biceps. “I’ve always been good at science and then in Grade Eight we took a field trip to this science museum and I watched a chemistry demonstration. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. And then, our teacher got really into environmental science and how global warming was more dangerous than any weapon on earth. It didn’t seem to bother the rest of my class but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And I researched and found out there are Environmental Chemistry jobs, which is, like, the dream. But.” She picked at her nails and took several breaths. 

“But…?” Patrick prompted gently.

“But my parents wouldn’t understand and on top of that, science is suuuuper dorky.” 

Patrick turned to her with full heart-eyes, which she previously had only seen deployed on David, blasting in her direction. “Mandy, most jobs are dorky. I mean, I have a  _ business _ degree. But you know what David needed when he started this store? Someone who understood boring old business. I have a feeling your parents will appreciate your enthusiasm. Does your school have any specialty classes you can take to prepare you for that kind of program?” 

She pressed her lips together tightly and blew out a breath while relaxing her shoulders. “I’m taking AP Chemistry starting this fall. The only person who knows besides you is my best friend.” Mandy pursed her lips and mumbled, “And that had drama too.” 

“Let me guess. Stevie helped again?”

“Is she like in the mafia or something? Does she secretly run the town?”

“Funny you should say that—David technically owns the town but I think it’s fair to say that several strong personalities run it. Stevie being one of them.”

Mandy scrunched her face in confusion and Patrick waved his hand to shoo away her worries. “Don’t worry about David owning the town. It doesn’t really mean much. More importantly, was that everything you wanted to tell your parents right now?”

“Mainly, yeah. And that I already know I want to go to a school with a respected Environmental Chemistry program, even if it’s far away. I want to make a difference and I’m good at it. I can figure out scholarships if they’re worried about that too. Wow, so I feel different. Can I take a break for a minute, Patrick?”

“Yeah, I got this and I’ll call David back out here if we get busy. Why don’t you take your fifteen and maybe go walk outside for part of it? That helps me when I’ve talked about something important. It’s such a nice day today, too.” Patrick pointed his face towards the front windows and went back to shelving and straightening. 

Mandy smiled to herself, sensing that Patrick wanted to give her options without seeming pushy. “That does sound nice. I’m going to leave my phone so I don’t get distracted. Thanks, Patrick. I’ll be back soon.” She slipped out the front door, glanced at her watch to monitor her break time, and strolled down the sidewalk, her face relaxed and turned towards the sunshine.

🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁🜁

_ New imessage _

_ To: _ **_Parental Units_ **

_ I request a family meeting tonight. Nothing bad but I need to share my thoughts with both of you at the same time. Please let me say everything before asking questions. Just to get this out of the way, I do not have a boyfriend or girlfriend and I’m not pregnant or hurt.  _

Swoosh.

Mandy tossed the phone back in her bag before she could second-guess herself and started the car to drive home. Her parents would freak out anyway but at least she didn’t have to say that stuff she wrote in the text message.

Her phone buzzed in her bag but she kept it out of sight until she parked (per the family safe driving agreement). 

_ I can’t imagine what’s positive news and also this urgent but I’ll hold my questions until you’re done. Home at 7 - Mom _

_ Okay. Facetime at 7. - Dad _

She rushed inside and hunkered down in her room until she heard her mom get home. “Mandy? I re-scheduled an important client call for this. Can you come out so we can call your dad please?”

Mandy strode into the living room, already calling her dad as she made her way to the sitting area. Her mom curled into the corner of the couch and rubbed her temples. She smiled weakly when Mandy sat down in the armchair facing her. “Okay, honey, let’s hear it.”

“Hey there kiddo. What’s all the fuss?” Even though she’d tried to quell his worries, her dad’s pinched eyebrows and deep frown told her he also expected the worst.

“Okay, first, could you both please take a breath? I meant what I said. This isn’t bad.” 

Her parents cast weary glances at each other and then turned back to her with softer expressions. 

Mandy stared at a crack in the molding to keep her courage. “Better. So, I know we don’t really talk about school stuff much, besides, like, that I should have good grades and be on time. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but I am really good at science. Chemistry, specifically. And this fall I’m going to be taking AP Chemistry, which is a double-period course. I’m also planning on majoring in Environmental Chemistry and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I know you both are super into business stuff but that’s just not really interesting to me and I’m not good at it like you both are. Sorry if that’s not what you hoped. Okay, I’m rambling now. What do you think?” She dared to look into the phone at her dad and over at her mom, biting her lip and squeezing one eye shut.

Her parents looked at each other, burst into laughter, and both started talking at once. “God, that’s it? I was terrified—” “—Hid in my office from Melinda and this is the news? What a relief!”

“Wait, what? You aren’t mad?” Mandy’s nerves turned to confusion and she could barely hold the phone upright as she processed the turn of events. 

Her mom collected herself, swung her legs to the floor, and leaned forward, her elbows propped on her knees. “Mandy, we’ve known you were good at science since you were a little girl. You went on about that chemistry experiment at the science museum in middle school for, oh God, what was it, Gerald, days or weeks?”

“Possibly months. It was the cutest thing. And honey, your mom had to sign off on you taking that AP Chemistry class. We are so proud of all of your hard work and passion. What made you think we wouldn’t be?”

Mandy propped the phone up on the coffee table, her arms tired and emotions making her hands shake. She twirled a hair strand around her finger and squeezed her thigh to center her thoughts. “Um, well, you never really said anything before. And you’re both always talking about how great business stuff is and wanting me to spend time with the right people who are good at making money. Since Paris and Kennedy come from families like that I thought you wanted me spending time with them. I thought that’s what mattered.” She covered her face with her hands and willed herself not to cry, worried she’d said too much. 

“Oh, Mandy, honey, no.” Her mom rubbed Mandy’s knee and pinched it. Mandy looked up, hopeful at her mother’s soft response. “Your dad and I enjoy what we do but our jobs get a little messy with separating friends from business colleagues. So sometimes that means we want to get to know other prominent small business owners to make our respective jobs easier, and they happen to be parents of kids you know, like Paris and Kennedy. Since your dad and Paris’s own restaurants and Kennedy’s mom is a lawyer at a competing firm, it made sense to us for you to get to know them and be part of their circle. Unfortunately, we forgot in the middle of all of that how your interests may have nothing to do with theirs. And that’s on us.”

“And kid? I love that you’re into science and I’m sorry I’ve never let you know how much.” Gerald rubbed the top of his balding head and brought his hands down across his face. “I was never really good at school stuff so I didn’t know how to talk with you about it. Kind of embarrassing, actually.” 

“Aww, dad, it’s okay. I promise I won’t make fun of your science knowledge as long as you never expect me to run a company.”

“Deal. I hate to do this but I’ve got to get on another call, but this was a surprisingly great turn of events, Mandy. Enjoy your night with your mom, okay?”

“Okay, Dad. Goodnight.” Mandy waved to her dad and grabbed the phone from the coffee table after the screen darkened. She sat back in the chair, feeling simultaneously drained at yet more excited than she had since starting at the store. She bounced up and gave the living room a brief but intense fist pump and hip shimmy performance. 

Sandra unzipped her dress as she padded back to the bedroom, sighing in relief and oblivious to her daughter’s victory dance. “That was thrilling but now I’m starving. What do you say we celebrate your bravery with some delivery? Think about what you want but don’t take too long, please.” 

Mandy’s phone buzzed and she saw a text from her dad.  _ Lobster ravioli and filet mignon delivery for the bravest girl in the world and her mom? _ She smiled and hummed, sending several gifs of animals saying “Yes.” She fell back in the chair, suddenly exhausted and hopeful her dad didn’t send the food with that delivery guy who always tried to chat up her mom. 

A warm feeling filled her chest and she unlocked her phone. She clicked on ‘Dakotoe’ and typed, “Best. Night. Ever. Call me when you’re free.” As she sent the message she felt tears prick the corners of her eyes and sent a message of thanks to the universe for the most beautiful store in all of Canada.


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patrick writes a heartfelt letter for his former employee.

To Whom It May Concern:

Mandy Greenhorn is an exceptional person who would succeed at any college in Canada. She is smart, helpful, curious, and genuinely cares about improving the lives of others. As an employee of Rose Apothecary, she learned everything we taught her quickly and then brought exciting new ideas as well. She never missed a day of work, always showed up on time, and treated each customer with respect and dignity. 

Mandy’s true brilliance, however, comes in her ability to listen to others and speak up for them when they are not being heard. One day a family came into the store and it became apparent that one of the children could not hear. They signed to their father their desire for something and their father led them to an object. The child became increasingly upset as this was not what they wanted. Mandy picked up a piece of paper and a pen and walked to the family. She handed the child the paper and pen and waited for them to either write or draw what they wanted. She didn’t ask the parent about this, which surprised all of us. The child, however, was delighted and wrote several words on the page. Mandy nodded and led the family to the object. The child was so overcome they hugged Mandy and signed “Thank you” which Mandy signed back in return. 

I could provide countless other examples but I hope this one, along with Mandy’s stellar grades and extracurriculars, will serve as a snapshot of her intelligence, kindness, and resourcefulness—all of which will serve her in good stead in college. I have no doubt that Mandy will go on to change the world with her Environmental Chemistry degree and I hope that it is with your school. 

Sincerely,

  
  


Patrick Rose-Brewer

Co-Owner, Rose Apothecary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Big thank you to my betas NeelyO and EggplantSalad for your guidance, encouragement, and suggestions. Thank you for helping this to be one of my favorite writing moments of the last year! 
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed and read lots of fun, creative, and original season 7 stories. <3 Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments since the release! It was a delight to help this beautiful character find her voice, her way, and her crew. I also appreciate Mandy showing me a thing or two. ;)


End file.
